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8 Facts on the Komodo Dragons in Indonesia
Discover fascinating insights into the world's largest living lizards, native to the Indonesian islands, renowned for their impressive size and predatory prowess
- Who first discovered the Komodo Dragon?
In 1910, Lieutenant Jacques Karel Henri van Steyn van Hensbroek was stationed on Flores Island in eastern Indonesia within the Dutch colonial administration, when he received word of a “land crocodile” of unusually large size living on the nearby island of Komodo in Indonesia.
- Where do the Komodo Dragons come from?
Scientists now find that the world’s largest living lizard species, the Komodo dragon, most likely evolved in Australia and dispersed westward to its current home in Indonesia. Dragons may come from the land Down Under.
- How many Komodo Dragons are left in Indonesia?
The population of Komodo in Indonesia is currently estimated to be around 3,000 to 5,000 individuals in the wild, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
- Is Komodo a Dinosaur?
Though it resembles one, the Komodo is not a direct descendant of the dinosaurs. They do, however, share a common ancestor from some 300 million years ago. On Komodo, the dragon is king. It eats any and all of the other large animals on the island, including wild boar, deer, water buffalo, dogs and goats.
- Is Komodo Dragon prehistoric?
Indonesia’s Komodo National Park shelters a relic from the prehistoric era – the Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis). This magnificent creature reigns supreme as the world’s largest lizard, capturing the imagination with its imposing size and fascinating hunting strategies.
- How old is Komodo?
The fossil record shows that the Komodo is the last of a group of lizards called varanids. These lizards have been about the same size for nearly a million years. They came from Australia nearly four million years ago, and spread to much of Indonesia.
- How fast can a Komodo run?
Komodo in indonesia can run 20 km/hour
- Who names the Komodo Dragon?
The Komodo dragon was the driving factor for an expedition to Komodo Island by W. Douglas Burden in 1926. After returning with 12 preserved specimens and two live ones, this expedition provided the inspiration for the 1933 movie King Kong. It was also Burden who coined the common name “Komodo dragon”.
